UK - The Association of British Theatre Technician's ABTT Theatre Show is gearing up to celebrate its 30th birthday in London's Royal Horticultural Halls, 11-12 June 2008.

Many new innovations on the lighting front will be showcased this year with an emphasis on energy efficiency in line with the Theatres Trust conference on sustainable theatres to be held on 10 June.

Selecon will showcase its new 80V Power Supply with direct DMX control.

ETC will highlight products that offer low cost of ownership and sustainable solutions. PRG Europe will highlight its products and services.

Zero 88 will demonstrate its new version 3 software for its Leap Frog 48 & 96 consoles. Its Jester ML series will be showcased.

Stage Electrics will premiere the QMaxz 575 moving head, which offers cost effectivity and high performance as the latest addition to its expansive rental fleet, says the

UK - PLASA Events has announced the official launch of the first PLASA Focus event, to be held in the Saviles Hall of the Royal Armouries in Leeds, on Tuesday 28 and Wednesday 29 April 2009.

PLASA Focus - Leeds 2009, the successor to the A.C. Lighting North trade show, will be the first of an entirely new style of regional event under the PLASA Focus banner, with an emphasis on connecting the industry with exceptional networking opportunities.

It will be the perfect regional networking complement to the PLASA Show itself and will build on both the growing success of the redesigned and expanded PLASA Show and the legacy of goodwill created by A.C. Lighting North.

Taking the 'look and feel' of the latter as its basis, PLASA Focus - Leeds 2009 will see an expansion and development in many areas, including exhibitor space and seminar sessions, alongside partnerships with regiona

USA - The third annual Behind the Scenes Tony Awards Party is set for Sunday, 15 June in New York City. The event brings together the shops that work on Broadway and the companies that supply them for "a terrific evening of schmoozing, food and drink, and cheering for their Tony-nominated shows".

Fred Gallo of PRG Scenic Technologies, one of the organizers of the evening, says: "Those of us that work on Broadway rarely get the time to catch up with friends, colleagues, and co-workers outside the pressures of getting the show up. The Tony Party offers a great opportunity to see each other, celebrate what we're doing, spend some down-time together, and at the same time provide important help to our colleagues in need. What could be better?"

The 2008 Behind the Scenes Tony Awards party will be held on 15 June 7pm to 11pm at Cibo restaurant, 767 Second Avenue b

UK - The Association of British Theatre Technician's ABTT Theatre Show is gearing up to celebrate its 30th birthday in London's Royal Horticultural Halls, from 11-12 June 2008. The ABTT Theatre Show's organizers report that many new technical innovations will be showcased this year.

HD Pro Audio is exhibiting for the first time: the company is the UK distributor for Optocore's fibre optic audio and data networking system, is also a main dealer for the Digidesign Venue Console and Yamaha' s Commercial Audio range. Sound Associates will launch two new additions in line with DDA requirements. Their new 3-channel tourguide system is ideal for theatres offering audio description or simultaneous translation. Its licence-free operation makes it cost-effective and it is offered with a range of microphones and headsets. Also on display is a 2-channel infra-red system that offers an enhan

UK - The Association of British Theatre Technician's ABTT Theatre Show is approaching its 30th anniversary event in London's Royal Horticultural Halls, 11-12 June 2008.Many new innovations on the lighting front will be showcased this year with an emphasis on energy efficiency in line with the Theatres Trust conference on sustainable theatres to be held on 10 June. Selecon will showcase its new 80V power supply with direct DMX control removes the need for any dimming products. When combined with the Philips 80V 100W energy saving lamp it delivers the appearance of 2kW of white light from the Pacific range or the Rama 175 high performance Fresnel.

ETC will also highlight products that offer low cost of ownership and sustainable solutions. Its highly efficient Source Fours will be on display. These fixtures are currently being deployed in Hackney's Arcola theatre being powered by a

Singapore - Visitors to evenTech Singapore (Singapore Expo from 25 - 26 June, 2008) can expect an informative and tailored educational programme of seminars across the two-day format, alongside the trade exhibition and social networking functions, say the organizers. Exhibitors and sponsors of the inaugural event include DAS Audio, d&b audiotechnik, Audio Technica and ProAktiv Systems.

Darren Brechin, Scattered Media director and evenTech co-creator, states: "AV equipment suppliers in south-east Asia and AV manufacturers from around the world had requested an event of this type for this area. In a region where the market is currently very strong, it is clear Singapore was lacking a networking event dedicated to this niche sector."

(Jim Evans)

Dubai - PALME Middle East 2008 closed with a record-breaking 8,600 visitors, representing a 22% increase over the 2007 event, say the organisers. The sixth PALME Middle East show ran from 27-29 April at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre. This year's event has set new records not only in terms of the number of exhibitors (272 exhibitors, representing over 800 companies and brands) but the amount of exhibition space sold and the number of visitors.

"We registered 1,500 more visitors this year than we did last year, clearly highlighting the industry growth and underlining Dubai as the entertainment capital of the Middle East. With five exhibition halls covering 20,000sq.m, PALME has real 'pulling power' and is now firmly established as the world's largest events' industry showcase," commented Neil Hickman, group exhibitions director of event organisers IIR Exhibit

UK - Clay Paky has announce the nominations for the 'Knights of Illumination' Lighting Design Awards that are to be awarded in association with the ALD and the STLD at the annual ABTT dinner in London on 11 June 2008.

The awards are being suppored by Clay Paky to recognise the UK's outstanding contribution to live performance and television. The awards are unique in honouring work across such a wide range of music, theatre, opera, dance and television.

Theatre nominees (Dance)

• Lucy Carter for Chroma at the ROH and her work with Random Dance. Her work was remarkable for the quality of light that added so much to the staging.

• Tim Mitchell for Hamlet for the Northern Ballet Theatre. His work was cited for its taste and restraint when so much was going on in the piece.

• Katharine Williams for I am Falling at the Gate theatre fo

UK - Cirrus Research plc, which specialises in the design and development of noise measurement equipment for health and safety applications has launched its Noise in Action Photography Competition. Cirrus is looking for interesting, unusual or imaginative images of its noise measurement instruments in use, and the winner will receive a pair of Sennheiser PCX-350 Noise Cancelling Headphones. The closing date for entries is 29 August.

James Tingay of Cirrus Research explains, "Cirrus equipment is used in so many different sectors, from mining and industry, to clubs and bars, and we are looking to add colour to our promotional material and website with some really exciting images of our products in use."

The entries can include any Cirrus Sound Level Meter or the doseBadge Noise Dosemeter, and must include the product in use. Full competition rules can be found

USA - Turbosound will audition two new product ranges at opposite ends of the sound reinforcement spectrum, as well as a selection of its well established lines at Infocomm08. There will also be an advance preview of a new range of Turbosound sound contracting loudspeaker products.

"InfoComm is an exceptionally good showcase for Turbosound," says Brad Stephens from US distributor American Music & Sound. "This year on we have two very different and exciting new product ranges that we anticipate garnering a large amount of interest."

"We have worked hard to ensure that our product range continues to reflect the needs of the market," adds Turbosound's managing director Simon Blackwood, "and this is borne out by how well Flex Array has already been received. The combination of our new line array technology alongside Turbosound's proven virtual po

UK - The Association of British Theatre Technician's ABTT Theatre Show is gearing up to celebrate its 30th birthday in London's Royal Horticultural Halls, 11-12 June 2008.

Many product developments will be on show, across all disciplines of lighting, audio, rigging, staging and accessories.

On the lighting front, Selecon will showcase its new 80V Power Supply with direct DMX control, while ETC will highlight products that offer low cost of ownership and sustainable solutions. PRG Europe will highlight its products and services.

Zero 88 will demonstrate its new version 3 software for its Leap Frog 48 & 96 consoles and its Jester ML series. Stage Electrics will premiere the QMaxz 575 moving head, which they say offers cost effectivity and high performance as the latest addition to its expansive rental fleet.

TMB will showcase the multi-award winning Blues System comprising t

Germany - For the first time, beginning next year, the Musikmesse will provide a Business Centre for exhibitors and visitors. With the new Business Centre, the Musikmesse - International Trade Fair for Musical Instruments, Music Software & Computer Hardware, Sheet Music and Accessories - will create an area reserved exclusively for dealers, wholesalers and the industry. Initially, the Business Centre will occupy a whole floor of an exhibition hall and give exhibitors the space they need to conduct talks or business negotiations in a quiet and intensive atmosphere.

The Business Centre will also be open to exhibitors and trade visitors of Prolight + Sound, which is held parallel to the Musikmesse. The International Musikmesse in Frankfurt am Main will be held from 1 to 4 April 2009.

(Jim Evans)

UK - Hoist UK will be exhibiting a range of new products including: The LX Ladder - a purpose built aluminium lighting ladder beam designed to BS8118; Pilewind Winch - billed as "an ideal solution for schools, smaller venues and retail outlets for banners, small trusses and lighting bars"; a full range of radio controls for the entertainment industry; ALU lightweight crane system - a lightweight tracking system which is a modular aluminium structure for making custom handling systems and moving loads from 500kg to 2000kg, andRoperunner - a cable managementsystem for theatre lighting bars.

(Jim Evans)

France - L-Acoustics has announced the introduction of the LA-RAK touring rack. The LA-RAK is the central element of the new L-Acoustics system architecture built upon the LA8 amplified controller. It offers an advanced drive rack solution for all L-Acoustics systems covering signal and power distribution in a comprehensive plug and play touring package.

LA-RAK was created as a universal platform designed to facilitate cross-rental between DOSC Network members and to ensure compatibility with the legacy analogue cabling standard of L-Acoustics systems, says the company.

The LA-RAK module comprises: One 9U rack with LEXAN® front and rear covers; three LA8 amplified controllers; an 1/O distribution panel for analogue signal, L-NET (control and monitoring) and L-DGA (digital audio) networks distribution within the rack and link out with other racks ; 2U space for implementing

UK - The Association of British Theatre Technicians reports that the 30th anniversary ABTT Theatre Show staged in London's Royal Horticultural Halls last week was considered another triumph.

Year on year the Show has expanded from both exhibitor and visitor perspectives. With over 100 participating companies, the organisers are pleased to reveal that, despite the current uncertain economic climate, the visitor numbers were maintained and were slightly up on 2007.

Recognised for embracing a developing range of technologies for use in any auditorium, the ABTT Theatre Show has built a position as a platform for manufacturers, designers and suppliers to showcase the latest advancements in technical theatre.

The Annual ABTT Awards staged at Church House in Westminster celebrated the products voted as this year's innovations. The 'Hook Clamp' trophies were awarded to: Best Sound P

UK - Lighting designer Martin Dudley used Robe ColorSpot 700E AT moving lights at the core of his lighting rig for The Guillemots most recent UK tour, for which his company, Reading based Martin's Lights, purchased new units from Robe UK.

Dudley has worked with the band for two years, and this was his fourth full tour. The tours and lighting rigs have steadily grown in size and stature mirroring the band's popularity.

At the start of this tour, management said they wanted to see plenty of red (and black) onstage. And they wanted it darker, weirder and edgier than the previous production tour a year ago, which was poppier and lighter in tone.

He was using just six ColorSpot 700E ATs, but these give him more than enough creative scope and range to light the full set without repetition, producing a vast array of different looks, textures and ambiences.

For the London show at

UK - Live event specialist tdc provided a high-tech communication solution for the final service by the Bishop of Sheffield the Rt Rev Jack Nicholls. More than 1,000 worshippers were able to take part in the service after tdc installed a special microwave link between Sheffield Cathedral, where the event was held, and the Cutlers' Hall.

The link was used to overcome the fact that although the buildings are so close together, there is no way of simply running a cable because of the tramlines and overhead power lines.

Bishop Jack is retiring after more than 10 years in his role in Sheffield. The event also marked the 40th anniversary of his ordination. The Revd Canon Simon Cowling, Canon Precentor at Sheffield Cathedral, said: "This was a really special event for the city so it was wonderful that, thanks to the technical expertise of tdc, we were able to share the service w

Brazil - Last month, Lighting Latin America conducted its third training and product presentation for operators and programmers in Sao Paulo. "It was the most successful event we held in Brazil. The training was attended by some 70 people from Brazil as well as Argentina and Colombia," reports Daniel Ridano, technical manager and project coordinator of MA Lighting Latin America.

On the first day the whole range of MA Lighting products was introduced, with the focus on the grandMA range especially grandMA full-size, grandMA light and grandMA ultra-light. Additionally, the software grandMA onPC and grandMA 3D as well as MA Lighting's media server grandMA video together with the Schnick-Schnack-Systems LED-Paneel C100 were demonstrated.

On the second day the MA Training - Level Basic was held. This is aimed at programmers and operators of moving and conventional lights.

UK - Bandit Lites is again working with Leeds-based Production North and continuing its fruitful relationship, this time with Girls Aloud on their UK arena tour.

The production is headed by Iain Whitehead, lighting has been designed by Peter Barnes, with programming, operation and direction on tour by Tellson James.

The lightshow is big, bold and bright to match the primarily up-tempo set. Barnes conceived the design and briefed James with ideas on some of the songs, also allowing him latitude to make a creative contribution to the programming, which was done over four days in Sheffield Arena.

The back truss features four vertical legs, all of which flank three onstage video screens. The two centre legs are 6m high and the outer two are 4m. Rigged on and inside this structure are 11 Martin Professional MAC 2K Washes and 8 MAC 2K Profile moving lights.

In front of that are

UK - The Foo Fighters played their biggest gig ever at Wembley Stadium on Friday 6 June, and Stageco brought their global experience into creating the stage. The band played an 'in the round' style show, with a catwalk reaching nearly the full length of the stadium.

It took Stageco's 16-strong team just three days to build the 180 tonne stage, designed by the company's in-house R&D department to deliver an 'up close and personal experience' for every member of the audience.

The distinctive 26m x 26m Stageco 'Super roof' was the main stage, with a B-stage connected by a catwalk, enabling Dave Grohl to run the length of the stadium during the performance.The mixing tower was placed at the end of the catwalk, with a central delay tower, and two further delay / spot lighting towers flanking the B-stage.

Antonio Cruz, technical supervisor for Stageco explained, "The initial

UK - With special half-price pre-registration now live on the PLASA08 website, organiser PLASA Events has revealed that the host of its first ever PLASA Masterclass will be Funktion One co-founder Tony Andrews - the winner of last year's inaugural Gottelier Award.

A highly regarded designer and manufacturer of high quality point source speaker systems, with numerous patents to his name, Andrews' landmark developments include the hugely successful Flashlight and Floodlight systems, and more recently the distinctive Funktion One Resolution Series.

Andrews headlines a growing programme of educational presentations at the show, which include a number of exciting new initiatives and partnerships. There will be a strong focus on industry technologies, with several sessions addressing existing and emerging audio, AV and lighting technologies and how to maximise their application in t

UK - PLASA Events Ltd, the organisers of the PLASA Show at Earls Court in London (7-10 Sept 2008) have announced the official launch of the 2008 PLASA Awards for Innovation, which this year will feature some significant enhancements - and also the 2008 Gottelier Award, which recognises the contribution of an outstanding individual to product development.

Innovation: PLASA goes for Gold
During consultation with the PLASA Awards for Innovation Judges after the 2007 PLASA Show, the judges expressed a desire to be able to more accurately reflect the levels of innovation seen in the products nominated for the Awards. Specifically, they were looking for a way to highlight those cases where a product truly delivered something strikingly new and innovative to the industry.

Roland Hemming, a highly-respected audio consultant and a regular on the PLASA Awards for Innovation j

USA - The Joint Training Initiative of The ESTA Foundation and USITT has announced Lighting and Console Training Sessions to be held at Wharton Center for Performing Arts, Michigan State University, East Lansing Michigan. This event is being hosted by The Wharton Center and IATSE Local 274 in East Lansing, Michigan.

The four-day schedule of courses is designed for lighting programmers, technicians, and electricians at a basic to intermediate level. Sessions will be held 28 July 28 through 31 July. The courses will be taught by ETCP Certified Entertainment Electrician and ETCP Recognized Trainer, Eric Rimes.

(Jim Evans)

Korea - The Conventions and Exhibitions Center in Seoul hosted Koba 2008, the international audio, lighting, and musical instruments exposition, which was held 28-31 May. D.A.S. Audio was represented by its distributor in Korea, Pro Audio Corporation Korea, who exhibited a wide range of D.A.S. products.

Sound engineer, Joan La Roda, arrived from Spain and Juan Luís García, D.A.S. Audio Asia director, from Singapore to give their support to the D.A.S. distributor at the stand. In Seoul, La Roda explained the technical features and applications of the line array systems in the seminar entitled Line Arrays: How they work. The next subject was Subwoofer Configurations and Time Alignment where he addressed the different types and features.

Joan La Roda's next stop was in Auckland (New Zealand) where he visited Edwards Sound's, a D.A.S. client, new installatio

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